When your help is required in the form of respect.

So, I was reading about this lovely lady named Abigail. She was married to a rock head man who placed her, her entire family, business and staff in deaths path. I like her A LOT. Whew!!! I cannot tell you how much I respect this chick. Her husband pisses off David, who at the time, is running around the wilderness with several hundred savage bruts. Abigail’s husband, Nabal, had his sheep grazing in the general area of Davids gang of bruts and these savage men protected the shepards and the sheep from other, even worse savages! Nabal’s staff had it made! Upon the shepards return David sends a few bruts to Nabal requesting one meal for his gang. Just one, in return for their service. Nabal flat out, rudely refuses. David’s response: “Every man get your sword”. It’s about to get all kinds of ugly! David plans to kill everything!
A worker tells Abigail what her husband has done and (here’s the part I love) she THINKS and ACTS QUICKLY. What a great urban mom!
Abigail knows what’s at stake. She understands the kind of man her husband is; cruel and foolish and she understands that David is just, zealous and God’s, yet to be installed, anointed king of Israel! In this moment she could have just had some food gathered, written a note and secretly sent the items to David hoping for the best. But she knows better than that because she really considered the people involved and the items at risk. She’s a thinker!!! She secretly has food gathered and sent ahead of her and she goes to meet an angry David and his entire band of bruts. So brave! So fearless!! She meets David and the crew of sword bearing angry hungry men, bows to the ground and presents David with an argument that appeals to his relationship with God, affirms that his offense is valid and respectfully shows him that what he is about to do actually contradicts his value system. Ohhhhhhh, I love it!!
David’s response: “Blessed is The Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! And blessed is your advice and blessed are you because you have kept me this day from coming to bloodshed…”
She could have just fed him, but she knew it wasn’t food that he wanted…he wanted respect and acknowledgement! She was able to strategically reveal David’s own desire to himself and remind him that his value system did not support vindicating ones self. Abigail, a strategic, wise and efficient urban mom.
Do you think Abigail is a lesson for today’s urban mom? Have you ever had to be strategic and respectful while pointing out another persons misstep? Did it go as we’ll for you as it did for Abigail?